Christian Dior launched the original Miss Dior in 1947 alongside his famous 'New Look' collection as an olfactory homage to his beloved sister, Catherine: a French Resistance fighter who survived multiple concentration camps and, upon returning to France, dedicated her life to cultivating flowers. The 1947 perfume was an unconventional chypre floral loaded with galbanum, gardenia, rose, leather and patchouli. A bold, attention-catching scent that was somehow both soapy and animalistic, and, much like Catherine, defied the norms of the time.
The modern-day Miss Dior Eau de Parfum is a softer, more feminine interpretation of the original with notes of rose (a nod to Catherine’s love of her garden), tinged with vanilla and almond, and a delicate touch of wood. It has become an icon in its own right, a fact that made it all the more difficult for acclaimed French illustrator and director Ugo Bienvenu to come up with a campaign concept for the scent that reflected its history while presenting viewers with something novel.
‘We decided to focus on three key themes: inspiration (Catherine Dior, Christian’s sister, his childhood and Provence), creation (Christian Dior’s first fashion show and the first time the fragrance was unveiled), and continuity, the fragrance’s place in today’s world (a tribute to the various advertising campaigns),’ says Bienvenu. 'We agreed on these ideas and developed a storyboard with Stephen Vuillemin and designs with Arthur Sevestre. We then set our animation team to work.’
The final creation is a joyful, technicolour celebration of the fragrance’s history, from its debut at Dior’s famous ‘New Look’ show in 1947, to its more contemporary iteration as a pink solution in a square, bow-topped bottle with the actress Natalie Portman as its spokeperson.
To develop the concept, Bienvenu and his team scoured ‘a huge amount of documentation covering the entire history of the fashion house and the fragrance’ that was given to them by Dior.
It is no surprise, then, that the film is steeped in historical brand references, some of which will be clear to those of the house, while others will only be spotted by the most devoted fans. It’s the first time the house has ever taken such an approach to the visuals for its fragrance. The finished product is not only playful but also points to Dior’s dedication to craft (the film’s backgrounds were created entirely by hand using gouache and acrylic paint) and commitment to push itself into modern and unexpected territories.
In the end, Bienvenu says, he tried to create a film that balanced the house’s history with a high-spirited vision. ‘We have tried to create a campaign that is dynamic, youthful, romantic and light-hearted too. Whilst highlighting that the fragrance is not new, it is deeply rooted in the history of the house and its creator. It features notes of time-honoured elegance.’
The campaign is now available to view on Dior's YouTube channel.